The present disclosure generally relates to pneumatic compressors, and more particularly relates to an air compressor used for supplying compressed air to a pneumatic tool.
Conventional pneumatic compressors use an inertial filter configured to be disposed within a cylinder head using an inlet port tube(s). U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,434 discloses, for example, an air compressor assembly for providing ambient air flows at a predetermined velocity using one or more intake or inlet ports to the compressor, where some portions of the ambient air flows are diverted into the intake port. Specifically, the portions of the air flowing over a valve plate assembly and over the cylinder head are diverted into an air intake for the compressor.
The diverted air abruptly changes flow directions from the remainder of the air by positioning baffles in the air compressor assembly. Any dust and other particles dispersed in the flow of cooling air have sufficient inertia that they tend to continue moving with the cooling air rather than change direction and enter the inlet ports. As a result, the inlet air is filtered through inertia, and the compressor and an associated motor are cooled by the air flows. Further, the cooling air increases the life of motor and compressor components, such as an air hose and reduces the burn risk for a user of the compressor. However, while this type of inertial filter can be an effective air filter, an inlet muffler size and its effectiveness is limited by a size of the cylinder head.
Other conventional compressors use a portion of a compressor shroud and an additional partial muffler enclosure having the inlet tube for forming an enclosed inlet muffler cavity. Although this type of compressor shroud provides an effective inlet tube and muffler cavity at a cost of only a partial muffler cavity, the muffler cavity is divided into two different regions in the compressor assembly. Specifically, one half of the muffler cavity is located in the cylinder head, and the other half of the muffler cavity is located in a separate housing piece for forming the enclosed inlet muffler cavity. This type of two-stage muffler is also limited by the size of the cylinder head.
Thus, there is a need for developing an improved compressor shroud having both the inertial filter and the muffler cavity that are not limited by the size of the cylinder head.